Expo Habits | Tuesdays on the Run
Hey hey hey- it’s time for Tuesdays on the Run again.
We’re going to talk about the first step to running your race: picking up your bib and visiting the expo.
Tuesdays on the Run this week: Expo Purchases. What’s on your shopping list? Or are you in and out?
Link up with Erika, Marcia and me for this week’s Tuesdays on the Run!
Expo Habits
I’ve got particular expo habits. This makes sense because I go to very specific types of expos: runDisney expos.
Sure, I run one or two non-Disney races a year and visit those expos. But I do the full Chevy Chase on those stops.
I’m in. I’m out. I’ve got the bib, and I’m moving on to other things.
If I’m going to buy #alltherunnerthings, I usually do it online and use them in training before a race. I’m a believer in the “never try something new before a race” rule which is why I don’t tend to shop much at expos.
When I’m at a runDisney expo, I alter course just a bit but I’m still a breeze through type of expoer.
Official Race Merchandise: Again with the window shopping for me. I’ve tempered my shopping habits. I use to feel the need for official finisher shirts and jackets and pins and OH MY one of everything; now I’m pretty cool with the finisher race shirts we get for signing up. But I do like to look… just in case!
New Balance shoes: if they are new, they must be checked out. I haven’t been totally in love with any since the very first ones, but they are always worth checking out.
Photo Booths: runDisney has some epic photo options! I love how creative they have become with the expo pictures.
And of course, that they are FREE.
New Medals: Thanks to crappy people everywhere, we can’t touch and hold them like we once could. At Avengers, the new medals were in lock down under glass.
Really, people? This is why we can’t have nice things.
But I always stop and look at the next ones I might earn, dreaming of those magical miles.
How do you do expos? Are you in and out or do you linger over all the booths?
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Patty Holliday has been running Disney since 2011. She knows just about every tip, trick, and hack there is to cover the runDisney Magical Miles at Disney World and Disneyland. She knows every mile isn’t *always* magical- but with training, tips, and a little bit of pixie dust, they can be a lot of fun! You can also find her at noguiltlife.com and noguiltfangirl.com
So what’s the deal with the Disney New Balances? I’ve seen something online about reserving a time to purchase I think, but I never really understood it all and that booth is always a madhouse when I’m at the expo. Do you have to make a reservation to look? To purchase? Or does that just make it easier?
What? The new Disney medals are now locked up? That’s crazy. Do you think people were walking off with them at some expos?
I love to shop. For pretty much anything (except food). Actually, I enjoy looking for new food items, too, it’s just the fact I have to do it over & over & over again.
So yes, I love a good expo. Except I’ve been doing smaller halfs with no expos this year.
I volunteered for an RNR race expo and was right next to the medals for Disney. Those were some awesome medals. I’m sadly not surprised that they had to lock them down.
If I buy anything, it’s usually just a shirt or hat, if anything, unless the race has special meaning for me. I’ve been known to get a little crazy with the hats, hoodies, regular t-shirt, running t-shirt, etc.
I’m a “get in, get out” person too. The only time I bought the “I did it” shirt was for my first half. I still have it, and if I get enough shirts I”m not wearing, I’ll include that in a t-shirt quilt.
One day I will make it to a Disney event!!!
I am an in and out kind of girl at the expos 🙂
I tend to run really small races so the expos I go to are few and far between. But even then, I’m in and out. Anything they have there I can just get at a local store (or online) so it’s really just to pick up my bib and shirt. I’m sure I would linger at an amazingly large race expo, though. 🙂
Seriously? People steal medals. Shaking head.
the races I’ve done don’t really have expos
but we went to the Boston Marathon Expo last year – it was a great way to try out all the Nuun flavors, get discounts at SparklySoul headbands and pick up some free swag with purchases
I do love the Disney photo ops! They can be so cute! I’m with you – I tend to be in and out as quick as I can.
I do love race expos, all that stuff in one place, man it’s a runners dream. Course my pocket book reminds me to go easy. I try and stock up on things like GU, Nuun, and I’ll pick up other fueling items to try later. I’m so with you nothing new on race day! Thanks for the link up! Hey, I’m running my first marathon in January at the WDW Marathon. I’m going now to check out your post on it today!